Door checking device



June 7, 1938. c. F. LUTZ DOOR CHECKING DEVICE Filed Dec. 23, 1936 A h f; TTORNEY.

IN VENTOR.

BY I .5.

Patented June 7, 1938 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFlCE DOOR CHECKING DEVICE Charles F. Lutz, MilwaukeaWis.

Application December 23, 1936, Serial No. 117,366

10 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in door checking devices.

Heretofore, considerable difficulty has been encountered in connection with storm doors and other doors which are likely to be caught by a strong gust of wind and blown open, and many such doors have been broken because of failure of the springs and checking devices with which they are usually equipped.

ii). It is a general object of the invention to provide an improved door checking device which will effectively prevent the damage referred to above.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the class described which is not only i5, adapted to prevent damage by wind but which is also constructed to provide for proper closing action of the door without unnecessary slamming.

A still further object of the invention is to pro- 20. vide a door checking device which is constructed for use on either a single or double door.

Other specific objects of the invention are to provide a door checking device wherein a novel form of checking bellows is employed; wherein 25, said bellows is so mounted as to provide for pivotal movement in two planes; wherein means is embodied in said bellows for automatically admitting additional air thereto at a limited rate when the door is being opened; and wherein 30 means is employed in connection with'the bellows for automatically preventing the admission of additional air during the first part of the closing movement of the door and for automatically ad mitting additional air during the latter part of 35 the closing movement of the door to provide for proper closing action. 7

With the above and other objects in view the invention consists of the improved door checking device and all its parts and combinations as set forth in the claims and all equivalents thereof.

In the accompanying drawing, illustrating one complete embodiment of the preferred form of the invention, showing the use of the device in connection with double doors, wherein the same reference numerals designate the same parts in all of the views:

Fig. 1 is a horizontal sectional view through the upper portion of a double door structure, 50 showing a plan view of the improved door checking mechanism in the position assumed when the doors are open;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the doors closed; 55 Fig. 3 is an elevational view showing the upper portions of the doors while closed, together with the door checking mechanism;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged detail View showing the bellows and supporting means therefor, parts being broken away and shown in vertical section; 5 and Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken on line 55 of Fig. 4, the dot-and-dash lines indicating the position of the automatic air valve while admitting air to the bellows during the final part of the closing movement of the doors.

Referring more particularly to the drawing, the numerals 8 and 9 designate vertically disposed spaced-apart door frame parts, and the numerals l0 and II designate doors which are hinged to V the members 8 and 9 respectively, as at l2 and I3. Any suitable yieldingmeans may be employed'for normally urging the doors to closed position, and in the drawing the yielding means l4 and I5 is embodied in the hinge structure.

A supporting plate [6 is adapted to be secured to an upper horizontal'portion ll of the door frame by means of screws or the like i8,.as indicated clearly in Fig. 3. The plate It is provided with a rearwardly offset portion H) (see Fig. 2), which offset portion has 9. depending boss 28 provided in its lower end with a threaded aperture 2|.

A bellows member 22 which is expansible at its upper end through pivotal action on a lower end hinge 23 has a hinge plate 24 secured to one wall 25 thereof (see Fig. i). A sleeve 28 has projecting from an upper portion thereof a complementary hinge member 21 which is connected by a pintle pin 28 with the hinge member 2 1 on the bellows. A bolt 29 extends through the sleeve 26 and into the threaded opening 2! of the boss 20 to support the bellows, there being an enlarged washer 30 at the lower end of the sleeve through which a small bolt 3| extends to hold the sleeve on the bolt 29. As a result of this construction t it is apparent that the bellows may pivot in a horizontal plane around the bolt 29, and it is also apparent that it may rock on the pintle pin 28 during opening and closing movement of the bellows. Y

The other rigid wall 32 of the bellows has a rod 33 projecting therefrom, which rod is pivotally connected as at 34 with a plate 35, said plate 35 being mounted for oscillation on a stud 0 35 together with a link 37. The stud 36 de- I pends from the plate It as shown in Fig. 3, and the oscillatory plate 35 is secured to the link 31 to oscillate therewith on the stud 3%. The link 31 is in turn pivotally connected to one end of 2 another 'link 38, and the link 38 is pivotally contion 43 of a link 44;

nected as at 39 to the door member H1.

The outer end of the oscillatory plate 3 5 is also pivotally connected as'at 40 with one. end of an elongated link 4|. The other end of the link 4|, is pivotally connected as at 42 to a lateral projec- The link is Preferably formed in two parts, with an intermediately positioned turn buckle 4!. connecting the parts to provide for adjustment of the effective length of the link. The link 44 is pivotal on a stud 45 which depends from a plate 46, and the latter plate is adapted to be secured to the door frame member I! by means of screws or the like 41. The outer end of the oscillatory link 44 is pivotally connected as at48jto a link 49, and the link 49 is pivotally connected as at 50 to the other door member ll. 7

v A bellows member comprises the fixed Walls 125 and 32, heretofore referred to, flexible side walls 5| and 5 2, and a flexible top wall 53. These flexible walls may be formed of leather, suitable fabric, flexible metal, or any other suitable material. V

,One of the rigid walls32 of the bellows may have an air inletopening'54 therein, which opening is adapted to receive a screw 55. The screw 'may be formed with a slot 56 in a side thereof, which slot gradually enlarges inwardly.

. tending through the bellows wall 32. 'Whe n the valve .59 is in the full line position shown in Fig. 4, it is apparent'that air "may pass from within the bellows out of the port 60 and into the atmosphere through an aperture 6| in" the belled portion 58 of the sleeve 51.- When, how- "ever, the valve rod 33 is pushed inwardly, then expanding the bellows.

movement there is an outward'pull on the bellows the port Bil is closed to shut off communication between said port and the port 6|; 7

In a-lower, portion of the bellows is a post 62 on'which alever i3 is'fulcrumed, said lever '63 being normallyiurged to the full line position of Fig. 5 by a spring 65. When in'this full line position, it is apparent that a valve member 65 carried by one end of the lever 63 is closing a port 66 in the bellows wall 25. When, however, the bellows is compressed to such a point that the inner end of an adjustment screw 6! abuts the end 50 of the pivoted-lever 63,'then the lever is rocked to the dot-and-dash line position of Fig. 5 toopen the port 65 and permit escape of air from the interior of the bellows.

In operation, when the doors and Il are 'being opened, the partswill move from the position of Fig. 2'to the position of Fig. 1, thereby valve rod'33' so that air can enter the port" 60 through'a port B]. A slight amount of additional air is also being admitted through the aperture 56 depending upon the exact adjustment of the screw 55. This amount of air which is being admitted tothe bellows'during expaneling movement thereof-is sufficient to permit opening of the doors,-but if a strong wind should templated as may come withinthe During such opening be causing this opening movement of the doors,

the bellows would properly check such action to prevent any damage because of the wind,in-

view of the fact that the bellows action and the air adjustments do not permit the doors to be blown open in such a manner that damage could result.

After the doors have been opened the springs l4 and I in connection with the door hinges will tend to close the same. During the first part of this closing movement the doors move rather slowly because there is an inward pressure on the bellows valve rod 33 closing the port 60 so' thatonly air which'can escape. from the bellows is through the opening 551 When, how-' ever, the doors have been partly closed, then the inner end of the screw 61 will rock the lever' .63 within the bellows to open the port 66. soon as the port 66 is open, then the doors will close rapidly and with suflicient force to provide for proper latching thereof. The exact time when this air is permitted to escape during close by adjustment of the screw 61. It is to be noted that the novel method 0 ing movement of the doors may be regulated mounting the bellows for pivotal movement in a.

horizontal plane around the bolt 29 and also for pivotal movement in a vertical plane on the pintle 28 provides for proper action of the bellows during its expanding and contracting movements. j r 7 It is to be understood that the invention is well adapted for use on a single door as well as on a double door by merely omitting the link 4i and the other links connecting said link with the door member II.

Various other changes and modifications may be made without departing from the spirit of g the invention, and all of such changes are conscopeoi the claims.

What I claim is:

l. A door checking device for use in connection with a hinged door comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links for connecting the door to the door frame, a bellows connected to and cooperable with said links for checking the opening and closing movement of said door, and means for automatically controlling the freedom of escape of airfrom the bellows during closing; movement to provide greater resistance during the first part 'of said closing movement. r

2. A door checking device for use in connection with a hinged door comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links for connecting the door to the door frame, a bellows connected to and;

cooperable with said links for'checking the opening and closing movement of said door, means (in connection with said bellows for automatically admitting additional air thereto at a limited rate, when the door is being opened, means in'connection with said bellows automatically preventing 'the escape of air from saidmeans during the first part of the closing movement of the door,

and other means for automatically permitting escape of air during the latter part of the closing movement of the door to provide for proper closing action. g

3. A door checking device for use in connection with a hinged door comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links for connecting the door to the door frame, a bellows having a movable wall portion and having an air port therein, a

movable valve member cooperable with said port and having a stem extending exteriorly of the bellows from said movable wall portion, and means including said stem for connecting the bellows with said links, said valve member being so mounted that when the door is being opened, the valve member is automatically moved out of engagement With said port to admit air to the bellows, and when the door is being closed the valve member is automatically moved into sealing engagement with said port to prevent escape of said air.

4. A door checking device for use in connec tion with a hinged door comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links for connecting the door to the door frame, a bellows having a movable wall portion and having an air port therein, a movable valve member cooperable with said port and having a stem extending exteriorly of the bellows from said movable wall portion, means including said stem for connecting the bellows with said links, said valve member be ing so mounted that when the door is being opened, the valve member is automatically moved out of engagement with said port to admit air to the bellows, and when the door is being closed the valve member is automatically moved into sealing engagement with said port to prevent escape of said air, and means for automatically permitting escape of air from the bellows during the latter part of the closing movement of the door.

5. A door checking device for use in connection with a hinged door comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links for connecting the door to the door frame, a bellows having a movable wall portion and having an air port therein, a movable valve member cooperable with said port and having a stem extending exteriorly of the bellows from said movable wall portion,

means including said stem for connecting the bellows with said links, said valve member being so mounted that when the door is being opened, the valve member is automatically moved out of engagement with said port to admit air to the bellows, and when the door is being closed the valve member is automatically moved into sealing engagement with said port to prevent escape of said' air, said bellows having another port therein, a lever pivotally mounted within the bellows and having a valve member at one end cooperable with said last mentioned port, and means engageable with the other end of said lever during the latter part of the closing movement of the door for automatically opening said last-mentioned port.

6. A door checking device for use in connecto the door frame, a bellows connected to and cooperable with said links for checking the opening and closing movement of the door, means for admitting air to said bellows, during operating movement thereof, said bellows having a port therein, a lever pivotally mounted within the bellows and having a valve member at one end cooperable with said port, and means engageable with the other end of said lever during the latter part of closing movement of the door for automatically opening said port. 7

7. A door checking device for use in connection with a hinged door comprising a plurality of pivotally connected links for connecting the door to the door frame, a bellows connected to and cooperable with said links for checking the opening and closing movement of the door, means for admitting air to said bellows during operating movement thereof, said bellows having a port therein, a lever pivotally mounted within the bellows and having a valve member at one end cooperable with said port, and adjustable means engageable with the other end of said lever during the latter part of closing movement 'of the door for automatically opening said port.

vide for pivotal movement of the bellows in a plane at substantially right angles to the plane of expansive movement of the bellows, and means including pivotally connected links for connecting the opposite wall of the bellows to the other of said door structure members.

10. In combination, a door structure comprising a door member and a door frame member, a checking device pivotally connected at one end to the door frame, a bell crank pivotally connected to the door frame and having a first arm pivotally connected to the other end of the checking device, and pivotally connected links connecting the second arm of the bell crank to the door.

CHARLES F. LUTZ. 

